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golden goose. He grabs an old red-hooded sweatshirt from his drawer and places it inside his backpack along with a T-shirt. He always packs an extra shirt just in case he gets wet on one of the water rides. Finally, He snags a pack of Twizzlers, his favorite candy, from the nightstand and then stands, scanning the room for anything else he might want or need.
    From underneath a pile of socks, hastily placed in the corner of his closet, he removes a small plastic hippo. The container bought at the Louisville Zoo when he was six has faithfully served as his piggy bank. He pulls out a wadded up $20 bill and three fives.
    A knock on his door causes him to quickly sling the bank back in the closet.
    â€œWho is it?”
    â€œIt's mom, I'm coming in.”
    The ladder! remembers Jack.
    With cat-like agility, Jack leaps over to the ladder and kicks it under the bed. He then assumes the proper hurt-slash-penitent look of sitting on the edge of his bed and staring at a spot on the wall, looking completely bored with a little bit of “my cat just died” thrown in.
    His mom walks into the room with a casserole dish in her hands.
    The smell of his mother's tuna casserole fills the room. Ugh, Jack says to himself. The vile concoction has made Jack sick more than once.
    â€œJack, your father and I are leaving.”
    Jack can see the outline of his father coming up from behind his mom.
    â€œJack, I simply want you to do the right thing. Today you made a bad choice and that has to be addressed.”
    â€œI said I was sorry.”
    â€œThere are still consequences, Jack. You know that.”
    In another desperate plea, Jack says, “But I'm being punished for something Blair did. She started the whole—”
    â€œI don't want to hear it, Jack. The decision is made.” Brenna chews on her lip a moment, trying to figure out how to soften things. She goes with, “I love you, Jack. I want you to learn to be the man your father and I hope you'll be, okay? And that's not someone who antagonizes others.”
    The feelings of guilt wash over Jack. His mom had played the “I love you” card. He reprimands himself for even thinking about sneaking out and surmises, I can't do that now. Somehow moms know exactly when to say those three little words. Jack is convinced that his mom has been a part of some underground secret mother society where she worked on using guilt as a weapon.
    â€œJack,” his father interjects. “This kind of behavior is not acceptable. I hope you take the hurt of tonight and channel it into improved behavior. You have so much potential. We need to see a drastic change for the better soon. ” It is a typical Wallace Braddock moment. He speaks to Jack like an employee he is threatening with a pink slip.
    Brenna steps in front of Wallace, a gesture to show that he isn't speaking for the both of them, and says, “We'll be back before 10. Just…make wise decisions, okay?”
    Before she exits, she leans over and kisses him on the forehead. “Bye, Jack, don't stay up too late. I have a list of chores we need to tackle first thing in the morning.”
    Exiting, his father nods to him and closes the door.
    The guilt settles somewhere in Jack's head and seers his conscience. There is no way he can sneak out now. Locking the door behind his parents, Jack grabs the backpack, unzips the bag, and pulls out the contents.
    After a few moments, he hears the front door close and his father's Toyota Camry start. He sulks over to retrieve the plastic hippo when he hears an odd sound.
    Ping , ping .
    The sharp noise is coming from the window. Jack takes four steps and looks through the pane. The car is gone. He scans the yard…nothing. Then, another ping . Looking straight down below him he sees Mason hidden amongst the shrubbery and dressed head to toe in black. Something large is draped over his shoulder.
    Jack can't believe this. He's here already? he thinks. How can I