Everyone was sick about it. Petey Love was one of those “scared kids” and scared kids never stray. When the most predictable kid on the planet disappears, the whole world turns to clay.

Search parties were formed. Keemer Prince offered his sniffing services. Keemer, who could smell a failing appendix days before it turned, could certainly track down a scared boy.

“Just give me the kid’s socks and let me do the rest,” Keemer said with the confidence of the gifted.

The Sarge and the Coach, the leaders of the search were in agreement. The kid was most likely heading east towards more streetlights. Scared kids crave light. The teens in the search party, Quigley and Coonce, thought different and Coonce had once been a scared kid himself.

“The boy went west,” Coonce told Quigley, “Most likely towards The Big L”

The Big L was The Lochner Woods.

“Magic trumps fright every day,” Coonce explained.

The Lochner Woods was a magical place for sure. Magic dripped from its trees. Kids had even named its most magical spots like The Deep Well. That was close to The Edge of the World; a cliff so high you could see the entire valley end-to-end. Watching a thunderstorm from The Edge felt like heaven on Earth.

There were other spots there too; some named, some not. Make-out spots, drinking spots, starting fires spots, and even a fist-fighting spot. The Lochner was the kind of place that lives in the dreams of old men long after they’ve forgotten their own names.

Quigley and Coonce felt like they’d known Petey forever. They had been friends with Petey’s big brother, Kip. Nobody mentioned Kip’s name much anymore, at least not in public. Coonce agreed. The Love kid was probably at The Deep Well.

In a lot of ways, The Deep Well had the most magic. Its water was so deep it had been declared unmeasurable and stories of the well’s powers were many, including tales of kids who had fallen in and never surfaced. It was said that when the sun hits the water just right, you could see their faces. When Petey Love was 5, he would beg Kip and his friends to take him there, but they seldom did. They were afraid the boy would fall in and become a ghost boy. After Kip did what he did and Petey was old enough to wander outside by himself, Quigley and Coonce often saw the kid sitting by the well staring down.

Quigley and Coonce walked The Lochner with the unmistakable teenage “I got muscles on my muscles” strut. They hadn’t told anyone where they were going. Two hours of daylight remained. Everyone knew Petey Love wouldn’t last a night in the open world.

The boys approached The Deep Well and sighed. Nobody was there and nobody had been there. The wooden well cover was in place and the tall grass, unmolested. Coonce felt a hole in his heart where hope had been.

“I was sure…,” he mumbled, kneeling.

“Me too. I wonder if something real bad happened.”

“D’you mean worse than?”

“Yeah,” Quigley whispered, wiping dirt off the cover and sliding it off.

The teens peered down the shaft.

“Me and Kip came up here one night after fireworks. We talked for hours,” Coonce whispered.

Quigley picked up a rock, held it over the opening and released it. It was a ritual, one of the boy’s favorite things to do. They didn’t know why but it felt like scratching an itch. Something about the way the rock took a few seconds to hit the water as if it defied gravity. It made the boys feel lighter. Something about the deep bass sound the rock made when it hit the water and the sound of the bubble that eventually came up that sounded like a symphony to them.

“He laughed all the time,” Coonce said after the water settled.

“That stupid mutt sure made him laugh, that stray he found? Remember? Funniest looking dog I ever seen.”

“He loved that mutt,” Coonce laughed.

“Guess he just forgot to love himself,” Quigley mumbled.

“Maybe,” Coonce nodded, drawing lines in the dirt with a stick. He thought about getting another rock, but he didn’t want to get too happy. A scared kid was missing and scared kids always show up where they’re supposed to. Scared kids are like expensive watches. They keep perfect time.

“I can’t wait to get away from here,” Quigley confided to Coonce who snapped the stick.

“So, you’ve decided?”

“Yeah, the Marines.”

Coonce smirked.

“Everyone’s expecting me to pick a college. I guess I don’t have a choice. Good grades suck.”

“Kip was sure he’d be a veterinarian.”

“He would have been a good one too.”

Quigley slid the well cover back and rubbed it. Ritual. The boys got to their feet.

“Maybe we can find the others.”

“Poor kid,” Coonce mumbled.

The boys didn’t know why they decided to turn towards The Edge of the World but they did. Maybe because it was so close or maybe just because. It didn’t matter. They found themselves approaching The Edge and looking straight into the setting sun.

They saw 2 shadows there, positioned dangerously close to the edge; one shadow in the shape of a box and the other a question mark, perhaps a Kama Sutra Position. Both were way too close to the edge. If the boys knew one thing it was that boys can’t fly.

“Kid?” Coonce called out.

Young Petey Love sat Buddha-like.

“Kid? Is that you?”

Quigley poked Coonce.

Petey Love turned.

“I got him,” Petey said.

When the teens got closer, they saw that the box was a crude wooden trap and inside the trap was an eagle; silent, brooding and stoic.

“Kid, everyone’s looking for you,” Coonce said.

“So what? Big deal,” young Petey defiantly barked, “I’m having it out with God. Is that alright? Do I have your permission?”

The boy put his hand on the cage and shook it.

“I told God I wasn’t scared of Him no more. I’m not. I told him, ‘You took one of mine, I’m taking one of yours.’ I’ve been waiting for Him to say something but I think He must be chicken.”

Coonce took a couple of steps towards the boy.

Petey quickly stood and assumed a fighter’s stance; stiff and menacing. Coonce stopped.

Petey lifted his head and shouted towards the sky.

“I don’t believe you! You’re a liar!”

He lowered his arms.

“Your mother’s worried,” Quigley offered.

“I DON’T CARE!” Petey shouted to the open spaces before reaching down and picking up the trap. The eagle jostled, tried to spread its wings but there wasn’t enough room. It thrashed. Petey struggled to hold the cage.

“That thing doesn’t know surrender,” Quigley whispered to Coonce.

“So beautiful,” Coonce remarked, “I’ve never seen one up close.”

The scared boy’s face was granite.

Mustering all his strength, he hoisted the trap over his head and prepared to heave it off The Edge.

“See,” Petey said, “It doesn’t want to die. Nothing wants to die.”

Coonce offered his hand and looked into Petey’s eyes.

“So why did he?” Petey asked softly.

“I don’t know,” Coonce whispered, “Some things we can never know. I’m sorry kid.”

Petey struggled with the weight of the trap.

“Look at you two!” Petey snickered, “Big men, football studs and me, a weakling. Why don’t you just come and take it from me? That’s what happens, right? Just pick up the runt and take him where you want him to go. He won’t say anything. He never does! He’s too scared. Well, damn you! Damn everything!”

The boy looked hard at Coonce.

“Take it! Come on! I know you want to!”

“No,” Coonce shot back, “Not this time!”

Petey’s arms trembled, the trap tilted and the eagle flailed.

“His name was Kip,” Petey said.

“That’s right,” Coonce told him, “His name was Kip.”

At The Edge of the World the sun sinks like a rock dropped down a well. Three boys, 2 big and one small, sat near The Edge contemplating the magic and the mystery that lay all around them. Next to the kid was the trap, the eagle inside now peaceful.

“No words,” Coons said watching the blood red sun teetering on the edge.

Petey Love reached over and opened the door of the trap. The eagle waited a couple of seconds then stepped into freedom and flew off.

The boys watched in awe as the eagle soared fearlessly toward the sun.