Chapter One

Jujube is a small town where everybody knows everybody. There are two schools in Jujube, Jujube Elementary, and Jujube High school. There weren't enough kids to build a Jr. High. Either that or there wasn't any room.

The year was 1958, but I remember it like it was yesterday. I was a Jujube. Jujubes' were the kids living in that specific town. We would always hold childish wars against the Yorkers, and neighboring town. We used to always have fights about which town owned the playground. No body knew the answer because

York-u-be was the name of the playground and it was on the borderline of Jujube and Yorker. The only thing that a Jujube and a Yorker had in common was the fear of the big kids.

The big kids were kids old enough to drive a car. It was tradition for the Big Kids to beat up on the minis, or kids younger then them. The most feared kid in Jujube and Yorker was Rattle Snake Snipes. It was legend that he once put a kid in the hospital for looking at him funny. No one wanted to mess with Rattle Snake. My friends and I had a previous encounter with him. We were walking on the town streets when he stopped us. He said that he could have sworn I gave him a funny look. That was when Charley, my best friend, told him, "piss off, its impossible not to give you a funny look cause your so damn ugly." One of Rattle Snakes companions grabbed Charley while Rattle Snake whispered while inches from Charley face, "this is a warning." Then he took the cigarette that was limply hanging from his mouth and burned Charley's neck. He still has a scar from it. That was the last time we encountered Rattle Snake Snipes.

On this specific summer morning I was on my way to the playground with Charley, Chucks and Sky.

Charley was my best friend and the leader of the Jujubes. He was tall with brown hair and brown eyes. Every kid respected him. He was treated well amongst the Jujubes. His little brother, Scott, who was nine (the youngest Jujube) looked up to him. To the grownups he was a different person. To the older people around town he was nothing but scum. Him and his whole family were hated. His dad was a rummy and his mom walked out on Charley when he was two. Every once in a while Charley and his brother were marked up. Bruises here and there, nothing too dramatic. Charley didn't do very well in school either. He wasn't dumb, he just didn't try. The teachers didn't help any either. Always calling him dumb and stupid. They practically gave up on him. He is the town tuff guy, he never cries no matter how bad his old man hits him. That was why he was the leader of the Jujubes.

Carl "Chucks" Chuckson got his nickname for always wearing his red high top Chucks. If it were up to me I would call him brains because he was the smartest kid in Jujube and Yorker! He had coke bottle glasses and always used big words that no one understood. He showed particular interest in science. He wins the science fair every year, and wins a trip to Washington to visit the white house. Chucks is a geek, but still our friend. He has short blond hair and bright blue eyes. He wears suspenders almost everyday and of course, his red high tops.

Sky is the peacemaker. Who can blame him? He comes from a family who believes in peace. He is also a strict vegetarian.