Preview:

My thighs were burning. My t-shirt was getting sticky with sweat, and so were my jeans. The stale and disgusting scent of sun-baked garbage assaulted my nose as a big blue truck groaned past me, but I was almost there.

I was standing on the pedals of my red mountain bike, pushing hard to get to the top of the hill on Squirrel Street. Yes, my town—Graysville—has a real road named Squirrel Street. It is actually a pretty intense hill, especially if you are trying to ride up it after a long, boring, draining day of class. Especially if you skipped lunch to study for an impossible Bio test. Even my forearms were starting to feel the strain.

I attend the community college in Graysville, South King State, named after a great citizen of our town that lived like a hundred years ago and donated the land for South King State, and our rival community college, North King State. His name was Arlington King Jr. Great guy.

With one final pedal, I made it to the top of the hill. I sat down on the taped up seat of my bike and relaxed for just a moment. It was a decent view of the neighborhood below. I enjoyed it for a moment before I put my feet on the pedals, released the brakes, and coasted down toward Gum Street. Yep, we got a Squirrel Street and a Gum Street. Who named these? That thought fluttered away as I picked up speed. It was so nice, the wind in my face getting rid of some of that sweat, and giving my legs a nice rest after pedaling up that hill.

I eased onto the brakes, slowing my bike as I neared the intersecting street. I didn’t want to get flattened by a delivery truck. God knows those guys really fly around the neighborhoods here.

“David! Wait up!”

I came to a casual stop when I heard my name. I recognized that voice and I was not surprised to see my friend, Keegan Kurtz. He came to a sliding stop beside me, his blonde hair all wild from the wind.

Keegan was riding a blue mountain bike he’d had for years. It rattled as he came to a stop.

“Hey, what’s up?” I said.

“Dude, that Bio test was intense.”

I didn’t want to think about that test. It was brutal.

“I swear there was material on that test that was never covered in class,” Keegan said.

“Totally.”

Keegan shook his head.