Swinging speedily along, easy smile wide, Jonah cut across the usual running course. His voice carried over the school grounds as he called out encouragement. Shouts and banter came at and from him. Bets of his supposed speed and about setting crutch racing records.
Danny stayed quiet from all that, ducking his head as Jonah called out to him.
Gruman called the end of practice, reminding them of the next meet, the last meet of the season coming up. Danny hung back as most the team headed back into the school to grab their stuff before either driving home or taking one of the after school busses. His head turned, breath puffing out as Cujo came bursting out from the treeline to jump on him.
Positive. Cujo kept out of the way, kept to himself, entertained himself during practice.
Negative. Cujo was filthy from whatever he'd been doing.
"Ugh! Cujo! Really? Down! Down boy!"
Lip curling up, Danny yanked at the edge of his shirt so he could see the mess. Then gave a shake, patting and brushing it off his shirt and sweatpants. Thankfully, he supposed, it was all dry dirt and not wet.
Tongue out, Cujo sat with his tail wagging, before tilting his head at Danny's actions. The puppy gave a hop and a roll, popping up with a yap, leaning down with his rear in the air. Tail going faster. Cujo yapped and yipped again. Goal clear. Play with me now!
"What am I supposed to do with you?"
He didn't have a thermos. Cujo didn't seem to want to leave. He couldn't just let the puppy keep following him like this. That was not a viable plan or solution. It worked, of sorts, for today. But Cujo couldn't stay here.
"I think you're supposed to play with him. Hey there pup."
Ears perking up, Cujo swiveled and bolted straight at Elizabeth. One knee came up to meet him. Cutting off the jump up onto her. Getting the idea, Cujo darted back and forth in front of her, barking excitedly. Putting her foot back down, Elizabeth shifted the many bags tossed on her shoulders so she could crouch down to pet the dog. Actually.
"Are those my bags?" Danny asked, eyes a little wide at the idea. They'd been in the school. In the locker room. The boys locker room.
"Yeah." Her response came easily. Followed up by a praise to Cujo and standing back up, adjusting the bags again as she headed up the slight incline toward the treeline. Happily, tail wagging, Cujo trotted along after her.
"I grabbed them." Jesse declared as he came around, his own feet working up the grass.
Both making their way to Danny. He stumbled back a little, glancing back toward the school. "Uh. Thanks? We should probably all go that way or we'll miss the bus."
Palm wide, Jesse stopped Danny in his hasty tracks to get past. Gulping, Danny looked down to the spread of fingers placed against his chest. It was warm. Cutting through the cool weather, cold sweat, and his inner chill. Danny shivered and stepped back. Away from Jesse.
Stunned, he stared, meeting Jesse's eyes.
How did Jesse do that? Knowing what Danny was? Seeing what he'd done Saturday night?
"I don't live far from the Kauffman place. I'll give you a ride back." Eyes roved past Danny. "So that's your dog."
"He's not my dog." The response was automatic to the easy declaration. "Cujo is-"
Jesse's eyebrows flew up, delight filling his face. "Cujo? Oh man, Mallory loves King! She's always wanted a St. Benard so she could name it Cujo."
Elizabeth huffed, eyes rolling up, shaking her head. "I thought it'd be best for both Jesse and I to talk properly with you. If we could. I don't like the idea of-"
Under the slight rustling of trees, muted hog snorts and squeals from the farm near the school, and puttering busses vibrating in wait around the other side came an echoing noise. It stood out among the backdrop of middle of nowhere familiar silence. Not silence, but far quieter than the noise Danny grew up used to. It echoed strange out here. But the newer noise seemed familiar to Danny.
He frowned.
The rustling shifted and the trees swayed and whipped and Danny froze, stomach leaping up.
"Hide! Hide!" He hissed. But Cujo appeared excited by the change, ears up again. Clearly not in favor of hiding.
"You can't hide from me spook!" Whirling noise amped up, ready to fire. Wide eyed, Elizabeth and Jesse stared up at the weapon being leveled down upon them. "Out of the way students! It may be dirty, but that dog is a-"
Covered head followed the movement of Elizabeth. Who'd slid smoothly through in front of Cujo, her hand reaching back. Sleek helmeted head clearly tracking Elizabeth intently, and then weapon jerked up, gesturing threateningly in Elizabeth's direction.
"You! I recognize you from that news report!"
"Why do you always insist stepping into fights?" Jesse hissed. Stepping over himself, he positioned himself closer too.
"Trust me, ghosts are not worth anyone's concern much less protect-Danny!"
Danny flinched. Confused more than tensed alert to the unknown, Elizabeth and Jesse stared up, glancing over to Danny through the corner of their eyes. Cujo barked, excited, uncertain, a questioning growl and head spinning at all of the people around him. Face flickering as if it was attempting to show something, Danny eventually managed a grimace and a thing he hoped was a smile.
"Hey Valerie."