Dig It Up *A 'Holes' Fanfiction*

Lipstick

Chapter 11

“Hey guys look what Caveman’s found!” exclaimed Magnet. Today seemed to be hotter than all the others. Disgusting sweat was trickling down my neck as I shoved my shovel deeper into the ground. My hands hurt but the blisters had turned to callus so it wasn’t as painful as it could have been.

“Hey X I think I might have found something.” Stanley said. X-Ray climbed out of his hole and took the small object from Stanley and held it up squinting at it through his fogged glasses. Squid went over to join him.

“Looks like an old shot gun shell or something…” he mumbled.

“Nah, man it’s too skinny to be a shotgun shell…” Squid took the object from X-Ray. Armpit and Zigzag joined them.

“It’s not a shell.” Agreed Stanley as he took it back.

“What did you find?” I yelled at the small group around Stanley’s hole.

“We don’t really know…take a look at it!” said Zigzag; they all seemed to be excited. Well I guess a little change was a bit exciting. I clambered out of my three-foot hole and dragged myself to the group. They were all looking at something in Stanley’s hands.

“Well lemme take a look!” I shoved Armpit aside, jumped in the hole and looked down. It was two inch long round golden tube. There was a little engraving on the side.

“What does it say there?”

“Where?” asked Stanley turning the tube around in his fingers. He is so stupid.

“There, dumbass!” I snatched the tube from him and pointed at the little engraving. The group huddled around me. X-Ray pulled his glasses down his nose to focus on the tiny symbol.

“Hey, someone’s initials are on it!” said Stanley grabbing it back. “See that little heart with the letters inside it,” he held his finger against the engraving, “KB!”  My eyes widened.

“KB?” The boys had a look of confusion on their faces. Zigzag snatched the tube from Stanley.

“Yeah, that’s Keith Barren.”

“Man, who’s that?” asked Armpit.

“A kid from my math class!” He said throwing the tube at Stanley. We all burst out laughing.

“Yeah Zigzag, it must belong to him then, huh.” Said Magnet nodding his head.

“Well, it could be someone else’s initials.” I stated. One by one they realized and looked at me. “My initials…” I said taking the tube from Stanley. They boys still looked confused, but I understood it perfectly. I knew what it was too. “But not just my initials,” I closely looked at the swirled writing. “It was my sisters as well,” I glanced up at Stanley’s face and he frowned. “It’s also my aunt’s initials and my grandma’s and my great –grandmother’s.” Squid understood where I was getting at. 

“It could be someone with a different name?” said X-Ray.

“Yeah good point, but the thing is…my great-grandma was Kissin’ Kate Barlow.” All but Squid gawked.

“No way! You can’t be serious!” exclaimed Armpit.

“Trust me, she’ serious…” Squid said.

“This means I think I know what this little tube is…” I shook it at them. “This, my friends, is a lipstick case.”

“What? A lipstick case?” X-ray didn’t believe me.

“Well yeah, I guess it makes sense if her great-grandma was Kissin’ Kate. Hence Kissin’.“ I was startled. Stanley actually said something smart! He took it back and held it to the sun again. After a moment Stanley gave the tube to X-Ray and he shoved it in his pocket.

“I guess I’ll show it to Mom, see if I get the rest of the day off.” He shrugged his shoulders and started to climb out of Stanley’s hole.

“Rest of the day off?” Stanley retorted standing up. X-Ray turned around. Squid and Armpit stood behind him. Zigzag and Magnet surrounded Stanley from the back. Everyone suddenly became serious. “No, no your hole’s already dug! I-I’m not close, I’m gonna be here all day!”

“Yeah so?” X-Ray took a step closer. Armpit’s fists clenched. Watch out Stanley you’re gonna be in deep shit if you say something wrong! Wait…why am I caring? I shook my head and hopped out of the hole.Stanley tried to avoid X-Ray’s piercing gaze.

“So uh… Why don’t you uh… Why don’t you just turn it in tomorrow? You know give it to Mom in the morning, then you get the whole day off.” Stanley muttered. Everyone seemed to relax. Squid nodded his head in agreement and Armpit’s fists unclenched.

“That’s good thinking Caveman, I like it,” X-Ray smiled and patted him hard on the arm.

“Pretty smart Caveman, pretty smart.” Said Squid tapping Stanley’s hat as they all proceeded back to their holes to dig. Relief washed over Stanley’s face. I smirked.

“That was so close. I was actually hoping they would kill you!” I whispered to him. He glared at me and shoved his shovel in the sand as I walked happily to my almost finished hole.