On Top//Topper Thornton

five

Sarah and I are in the backyard talking.

"I caught your friend sneaking onto the Druthers this morning," Sarah tells me.

"Which friend?" I ask.

"John B," Sarah tells me.

I pretend to be surprised. "Really? What was he doing?"

"Don't play dumb," Sarah tells me. "He was bringing back empty scuba tanks."

"Wow. That's weird," I state.

"What did you guys need them for?" Sarah asks.

I smile. "A top secret Pogue mission."

Sarah shakes her head. "You guys are so weird."

The daughter of our neighbor comes walking over to us.

I smile as I crouch down to her level. "Hi Amy."

She points to her family's boat. "I think my stuffed elephant is on there."

"Oh, so you left her in the boat?" Sarah asks.

She nods her head. "Mm-hm."

"Okay, can you tell me what she looks like?" I ask.

"She has a trunk and blue ears." Amy tells me.

"Okay. I'm gonna get her for you," I assure her.

"Be careful of electricity," Amy warns me.

"Don't die," Sarah tells me.

"Don't worry, I'll be okay," I tell them. I avoid the wires as I make my way to the boat.

"Hey, there's 14,000 volts in those wires," Rose shouts at me.

I almost lose my balance and shriek before laughing it off.

"Hey, Ashlynn, be careful!" Topper shouts at me.

"Oh, you gotta be kidding me. Ashlynn, get down now!" Rose shouts.

"Rose, calm down. I'm an athlete. I got this," I assure her.

"You're gonna get electrocuted! Get down!" Rose yells at me. I shimmy my shoulders and don't watch where I'm going. "Are you kidding me? Get..."

"Ashlynn, that's not funny," Topper tells me.

"When I tell your dad about this, Ashlynn..." Rose trials off.

I keep going across the wooden plank towards the boat. I see the elephant as I step slowly into the boat. "I see her."

Amy giggles in happiness.

"Ashlynn! When I tell your dad..." Rose starts.

I scream as I pretend to touch the wire and get electrocuted.

"Ash!" Amy yells.

"Ash! Ashlynn!" Topper shouts.

I laugh as I swing around the dead wire. "It's disconnected."

Topper looks at me pissed off while Kelce laughs.

"For the love of God," Rose says.

I grab the elephant. "Absolute sucker." Topper just looks at me. "Topper, you should see your face."

"Yeah. Okay, yeah, I'm sorry that I care. All right, guilty," Topper tells me.

I walk back over to Amy to give her the elephant. She smiles widely as she hugs me. "Thank you, Ash."

I smile. "You are very welcome Amy."

Amy runs off with her elephant and I head off to find Topper. He is talking to Wheezie. "What's up, Top?" I turn to my sister. "Hey, Sneezie."