***

By now Dive was use to the school routine. Get up early, get dressed, go to school, play with Rita, get beaten up, go home, go to bed, and start all over the next day. So far Nosedive was at step four- play with Rita. Today Mrs. Duckers had introduced the children to play dough. Dive, Rita and the other children were having fun making worms, dough men, spaghetti, balls, and a various other objects. Mrs. Duckers had her hands full. If one child wasn't trying to eat their creation, another was trying to shove it up their nose or down another child's pants.

Nosedive, on the other hand, had made Rita a crown fit for a queen. Rita in turn made herself a necklace and rings. After she was fit for a night at the royal ball, the pair made Dive a scepter and a crown fit for a king. Nosedive was having a lot of fun with the new material and he could have played all day. The only problem was Mrs. Duckers had just spoken the two words he was dreading- "lunch time".

As was the same as every other day, the kindergartners were marched single file to the lunchroom. Today, since it was a beautiful day, lunch was held outside. Rita bought her lunch and went to find Nosedive, but he wasn't at the tables. She looked under the table and around the garbage cans, but he couldn't be found. She asked several kids, none had seen where the blond boy had gone. Rita set her lunch down and looked across the empty playground. She found Dive sitting on the swings kicking tanbark with his toes.

"Nosedive, what are you doing?"

"Hiding."

"Hiding from who?"

"Your brother."

"Oh Don't worry, Dive, the big kids won't let him hurt you today."

"But what if he does. My tummy still hurts." Nosedive lifted up his shirt to show Rita the bruise on his chest. She gasped in horror. "See."

"Did you tell?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because."

"There you are!"

Rita and Dive jumped at the familiar, threatening voice. They turned simultaneously toward one another then over their shoulder. Josh towered over the pair with two other mean looking kids by his sides.

"Leave us alone, Josh!"

"Shut up, runt. Where's my money kid?"

"What money?" Dive asked, standing up and backing away.

"I told you to bring me some more money."

"No, you"

"Where IS IT!"

"I don't have it."

"Give me your lunch," Josh demanded.

"No."

"I said"

"I heard what you said doofus, and I said NO!" Dive said standing up to Josh.

Josh narrowed his eyes at the young duckling. "Get him," Josh ordered, without blinking an eye. Dive's eyes widened as the two other boys stepped forward and reached for him. He instinctively ran away. The tan bark slowed him down and tripped him up. The boys caught him with ease and drug him back to where Josh stood going through Dive's lunch.

"Junk nasty you eat this stuff? ah, yes my cupcake."

"Leave me alone," Dive struggled to free himself.

"You heard him," Rita threatened.

"Shut up Rita," Josh pushed Rita to the ground.

"I'm telling."

Josh lashed out, grabbing Rita by her upper arms and shook her violently. "You are going to keep your big beak shut! And if you ARE stupid enough to open it, I'll make sure that your little boyfriend here will never see the light of another day."

Rita swallowed hard and rubbed her hurt arms. She didn't know what else to do but to keep quiet. When Josh made a threat, he generally kept it. She watched as Josh had his two friends drag Nosedive over to the monkey bars.

"Let me go," Nosedive demanded, struggling to free himself from the older boys grips. The more he struggled the tighter they latched down on his arms. The man handling continued despite his futile protests and cries for help. As the time seemed to drag on the more scared Dive got. Where was Wildwing when he needed him?

Josh studied the monkey bars as he contemplated what he wanted to do with his captive. "Ryan, get down," he ordered still looking at the playground equipment. Ryan did as he was told and got to his hands and knees under the bars while the other boy held Nosedive. Josh gave him a hand signal and the boy placed Nosedive on Ryan's back before he too got on his hands and knees next to Ryan. Josh stood on his back and proceeded to order Dive, "Put your hands up."

"I don't want to."

"Do it, shrimp or else."

Nosedive reluctantly held his hands up in a surrender position. "Higher!" Dive lifted his arms a little higher. "More!" Again he raised them. "All the way STUPID!" Nosedive took too long to stretch out his arms, so Josh grabbed his arms and tied them together. "There! Now grab the bar,"

"Why?"

"Because I said so," Josh growled forcing his face into Nosedive's.

"Okay." Dive reached up and grabbed the bar. Josh smiled at the scene; he was yet again going to get away with the torture of little kids. He tied the rope that was tied to Dive's wrists to the bar and got off his organic stool. The other two boys got up and marveled at Josh's handy work.

"Man, Josh, this is great."

"Yeah, Dude, you sure do have a talent for torture."

"I know, I'm a genius."

"Let me down!" Nosedive demanded, dangling from the bar he was tied to.

Josh thought about the request. "No." He laughed maniacally as he walked away. Before he was too far away he spun around and remarked, "I wouldn't let go if I were you. Your hands might pop off."

Rita watched with horror by the swings. She couldn't do anything to stop Josh. When he finally left she ran to help Dive.

"Help me, Rita."

"How?"

"Get my brother."

"But the big kids are not at lunch yet."

"Please Rita, I can't hold on."

"I got you." Rita ran up to Dive and wrapped her arms around his legs in an attempt to hold him up.

***

A crowd began to gather around the two kindergartners. The sight was something to behold. Everyone thought that they were playing a silly game. They had no idea how wrong they were. Dive clung to the bar for dear life for ten minutes praying the entire time for Wildwing to come and rescue him. Dive squeezed his eyes shut and tired not to cry. He just had to be strong!

***

Wildwing and his friends were glad to finally get out of class for lunch. This was the one time of the day that they could enjoy themselves. The fourth graders sat down at their table and began to converse as lunches were opened. Tuna fish sandwiches, carrot missiles, and milk were the choice for today in most lunch boxes. The gang', as they called themselves, tended to have the same thing to eat everyday. It had been a tradition they had been having since their first day of school. It originally had started out a fluke, but soon it was a regular thing, almost like a conspiracy among their mothers. The novelty of having something different was unheard of and they never tried to trade lunches anymore.

Leila pulled her lunch out and looked around the playground. For some reason something felt wrong. There were not many kids playing. Instead they were gathered around the monkey bars. "I wonder what is going on over there?"

"Probably some kid got a bloody nose or is being stupid," Canard remarked opening his lunch box and setting his milk on the table.

"Why don't we go check it out?" Randy asked, interested in the current event.

"What about lunch?"

"Oh, Wildwing, lighten up and live a little. We can always eat later."

"Randy" Wing protest would have done nothing but lead to a drawn out discussion, so he caved. "Fine, let's go check it out."

The group of fourth graders headed toward the tanbark and the monkey bars. The crowd of kids was pressing in tightly, refusing the older students passage. When they were unable to get a good view, they decided to go eat their lunches. As they started to walk away, a child cried out in pain.

"That sounded like"

"NOSEDIVE!" Wildwing finished Canard's sentence.

"Wing help!"

Wildwing pushed his way through the amassed children and found Nosedive clinging to the bars. The sight was amusing to behold. Dive on the bars, stretched out, with Rita hugging Dive's legs.

"Dive, what are you doing?"

"Wing, help."

"Come here."

"Help."

"Let go, Dive."

"I can't."

"Sure you can," Wing half laughed. He thought it was Dive's traditional game of come catch me'.

"Help! Wing, I'm slipping."

"Let go then."

Dive's sweaty fingers were loosing their grip as the brothers spoke. Dive whimpered and looked up at his fingers. His arms were getting tired and he could barely hold on. "Wing."

"Dive, stop goofing around." Wing turned to leave, embarrassed that Dive had called so much attention to himself and because his friends were all snickering at the blond.

Dive's fingers slipped from the bars. His body, with the help of gravity, fell, but his bonds held him in mid air. Dive cried out in pain as he tired to grab the bar again, but he couldn't reach it. Wing spun around and saw Dive's fingers twitching in the air, just millimeters from the bar. "DIVE!" Wing rushed forth and grabbed Dive's legs. He held him up in an attempt to help Dive reach the bars.

"Wing help," Dive managed to squeak.

"Grab the bar!"

"I can't hurts."

"Grab it, Dive."

"Move, Wing," Canard ordered, reaching around to take Dive's legs.

"No! Don't touch him, Canard."

Canard frowned and pushed Wing out of the way. Dive's body fell again, and again the ropes prevented his plummet. With Wing on the ground Canard grabbed Dive's legs and lifted him onto his shoulder. "Go get the yard duty, Wing."

"Let him go!" Wing rushed his so called best friend'.

"I can hold him up higher, go get the yard duty."

"No! Let him go!" Wildwing was able to force Canard away and he resumed his position under Dive. Dive cried out in pain again, but Wildwing couldn't hold him up any higher.

"Randy, give me a hand," Canard spoke calmly and quickly. Randy was trying to comfort Rita as she stood crying watching the older boys fight. He gave her a quick pat on her back and went to help Canard. Randy got down on all fours to provide Canard with a stool, so he could untie Dive's hands. "Hold on squirt, we'll get you down," Canard assured the tiny captive.

"Please Canard," Dive sobbed. "It hurts."

Canard wrestled with the bonds, but they were too tight and he couldn't get his fingers in a viable position to loosen them. But that didn't stop him from trying. He had to get Dive free!

Dive began to kick wildly in Wildwing's arms. The more Canard pulled and pried at the ropes the more they would dig into his skin and hurt his delicate writs. "Please, Canard."

"I'm trying, just hold on."

"No, it hurts. Stop."

"I have to try, Dive."

"Wing, make him stop."

Wildwing tired to push Canard off Randy's back, but when he moved Dive cried out in pain and he stopped. Instead he decided to yell at him.

"Don't start, Wing!" Canard barked before Wing could utter his insult. "If I don't try he'll be stuck up here forever!"

"Their coming," Leila panted.

"Who?" Wing asked.

"The yard duty and the janitor."

"Good thinking, Leila," Canard commended her.

"Someone had to, you two sure weren't helping by fighting. Hold on Dive we're going to get you down."

"Hurry."

The janitor approached the scene calmly. He took one look at the stranded Nosedive and immediately went to work. He had the yard duty take over for Wildwing as he set up his ladder next to the bars. Dive cringed at the sight of him. He was a huge duck with a scar across his cheek, a large jaw, and massive arms and hands. His dark hair and eyes only added to the menacing look to make him seem bigger and meaner. He looked like the kind of guy that would be a bouncer for the local nightclub, and as a matter of fact he was. On weekends he worked at the toughest place in town, and on weekdays he was the janitor for the school. The children would joke around saying that they would hate to meet him in a dark alley on the wrong part of town. In truth, if you were stuck on the wrong side of town and were drug into a dark alley you would have wanted him there. He was your best protection from anything out there.

The janitor had served in the marines when he was younger, that was where he had earned his many scars. But the military wasn't for him. He was strong and built like a tank, but his heart was too soft. His rough exterior did not foretell the gentleperson he was within. His deep, rough voice only spoke gentle words and only those who knew him well knew what a romantic he was. He composed poetry and love songs in his spare time as well as raising his three girls and two boys.

Dive shivered as he watched the janitors callused hands moved towards him. As he spoke gentle words in a lyrical manner to Dive his hands worked gracefully and lovingly. His tenderness calmed Dive, though Wing stood terrified on the ground looking up. He couldn't believe that Dive let the janitor stoke his tear stained face and comb his fingers through his hair. "It's all right little fella. We'll get you down quicker then anyone can score a short handed goal." Dive giggled at the analogy.

With Dive calm, the janitor went straight to work. He could tell that the rope was cutting off Dive's circulation, so he immediately used the hedge clippers on the rope. The sudden release in tension, and in his weakened state, Dive fell backwards.

"NOSEDIVE!" Wing exclaimed at Dive's plummeting torso.

The janitor foresaw the initial outcome and had placed his hand behind Dive's back, catching his limp torso. The yard duty, from below, dropped Dive's body into her arms and waited for the janitor to climb off the ladder. He inspected Dive for injuries. His wrists were of minor concern since he had fallen unconscious. As the janitor dispersed the crowd of children, the yard duty carried Dive off to the nurses office. Wing clambered after her desperately calling Dive's name in an attempt to revive his baby brother.

The nurse tried with all her might to send Wing away, but there was no budging him from his perch on the chair next to Dive's bed. The school's secretary immediately contacted their father and informed him of the circumstances and Dive's current condition. George Flashblade did not hesitate to drop everything to be there for his son. On his way out of his office he called his wife.