Among the Imposters

Twenty

Luke felt twelve pairs of eyes on him. Nina’s mouth was frozen in a little “o” of surprise. Jackal boy’s jaw dropped in astonishment.

But nobody was more astonished than Luke. Why did I do that? he wondered. He remembered thinking that most of the boys at Hendricks acted like pawns. I’m a pawn, too, remember? Just plain old Luke Garner, who doesn’t know anything about anything, who cowers in the attic while his best friend dies for the cause. Stepping out from behind that tree was something len would have done. Not me.

But he had done it. Now what?

Luke longed to slide back behind the tree again or, given that it wouldn’t be much of a hiding place now, to turn tail and run. But his legs were trembling so much that just standing still took all his strength.

Everyone was so quiet that Luke could hear his watch ticking again.

All right. He’d gotten himself into this mess by acting like Jen. What would she do next?

Talk. len could always talk.

“You destroyed my garden,” Luke accused. “You’ll have to make restitution.”

Luke could use big words, too. He thought he saw a glimmer of appreciation in Trey’s eyes. Everyone else stared blankly.

Would Jen bother explaining, or would she prefer letting them feel dumb?

“Garden?” jackal boy asked. “What garden?”

That wasn’t what Luke had expected.

“What garden?” he repeated. “My garden. Over there.” He pointed into the dark. “Last night, somebody trampled the whole thing, kicked over my beans, broke off my raspberry plants. You’re the only ones I see out in the woods.” Luke tried to let his anger carry him through. But all the faces in front of him looked vacant. Had he made a big mistake? Could they possibly be innocent? He finished weakly, “So you owe me.”

Jackal boy shook his head.

“We don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He didn’t seem to be lying. But how good was Luke at judging liars?

‘I’ll show you,” Luke said impatiently. He suddenly had the notion that if he saw them looking at the destruction, he’d be able to tell by their expressions whether or not they were guilty. He turned hastily and started walking. He was surprised when he heard footsteps behind him. They’d actually listened to him? Obeyed him?

They made a strange procession through the woods, Luke leading the way, the other boys following with their lantern, then the girls with a dim flashlight. Luke made a few missteps, and even had to backtrack once, but he circled around, hoping none of the others would notice. Finally they reached Luke’s clearing. In the moonlight it looked desolate, just a stump and scraggly plants. It didn’t look like it had ever contained a garden.

“There!” Luke said, trying to sound wronged and indignant. His voice came out in a squeak “See these broken-off raspberry plants? See the squashed beans? But why do I have to show you? You know what you did.”

No guilt showed on their faces. They still looked puzzled.

“He is crazy,” jackal boy hissed.

“Wait a minute,” Nina said. “Did you guys walk back to school this way last night?”

Trey shrugged.

“We might have,” he said.

One of the other guys spoke up.

“It’s not like we can tell any of the trees apart.”

“So maybe you stepped on his garden by mistake,” Nina said. ‘And didn’t even know it.”

“I certainly wouldn’t know what a garden looks like,” one of the other girls said. “Like this? What were you growing?”

“Nothing,” Luke muttered. He was suddenly overcome with shame. He’d felt so brave stepping out from behind that tree. Just to make a fool of himself. Looking around, he could see how the other boys could have missed noticing his efforts, and trampled his garden by mistake. This had been a pathetic excuse for a garden. He’d been pathetic for ever thinking it was anything, let alone anything worth taking a risk for. He wished he could go back and hide behind a tree forever.

Jackal boy started laughing first.

“You thought this was a garden? You were sneaking out here to make a garden?” he asked.

The others began to snicker, too. Luke’s shame turned into anger.

“So?” he asked, defiant again.

“So you are a lecker,” jackal boy said. He was laughing so hard, he doubled over in mirth. “A real lecker.”

“You always say that,” Luke grumbled. “I don’t even know what a lecker is.”

“Someone from the country” Trey explained helpfully. ‘Like a bumpkin. That’s what it really means. But now the word’s just kind of a general insult, like calling someone a moron or stupid.”

Luke thought Trey almost sounded apologetic, but that only made things worse.

“What’s wrong with being from the country?” Luke asked.

“If you have to ask.. ,“ jackal boy said, laughing again. He had to sit down on the rotting stump to catch his breath. Luke hoped he got mold smears on his pants.

“Want to know something even funnier?” jackal boy continued. “I’m betting you’re really an exnay, too. So all those insults — lecker, exnay, fonrol — they’re all true. I don’t know that I’ve ever met someone who’s all three before. We’ll have to come up with a new word, just for you. What’ll it be?”

Luke stared at jackal boy and the others laughing behind him. His faced burned. How could he have thought, even for an instant, that these might be kids he could trust? That he might belong with them?

“Leave me alone!” he shouted, and turned and ran.