Weeds and Other Stories [Mass Market Paperback]

In Weeds and Other Stories you will find bullies and mystical coyotes, environmental warriors, loners, clowns, and the best of friends; and, of course, some fresh takes on teen relationships. With an ear tuned to teen dialogue, and an eye for precise emotional detail, Jacqueline Pearce cuts a wide arc within teen culture.

Josh stepped from the lighted area onto the dark sidewalk. He shifted the box in his arms, and began walking. Then he saw them. They were leaning on the black Mazda, parked where they could watch people come and go from the Skytrain and buses. Josh's heart jumped, and his hands on the box grew immediately sweaty. What were they doing here? Had they followed him? No, they couldn't have. Cruising Skytrain stops was their thing, wasn't it? Seeing them now was just a coincidence, right? They were just waiting for some poor victim to walk off into the dark alone -- like he'd just done. . . . Josh kept walking, forcing himself to stay calm. Maybe they wouldn't bother him. Maybe they were just going to the Skytrain or somewhere else in this direction. Maybe cows could fly. Who was he kidding? He could run, but they'd only let him go last time becasue he'd given them his jacket. What would they do this time? "Hey, wait a minute," one of them called in a deceptively friendly voice. They jogged a bit to catch up to him. Panic tightened around Josh's chest as he felt his chance to escape slipping away. "What's in the box?" The guy with the hat had come up on one side of Josh, Dough Boy on the other. They pressed closer. . . . Josh felt like a cornered animal. He thought of himself running --running and running, always looking over his shoulder. Someone shoved him, and one of the box flaps opened. The animal scent wafted up to Josh. Anger flared in his gut, then was gone. He realized he no longer felt afraid. Instead, he felt numb and strangely detached. Dough Boy grabbed for the box. Josh felt a small click inside himself -- like something moved, shifted, and snapped into a new place. With one easy movement, he reached his right hand into the box. Carefully, he placed his fingers on the furred nose of the pelt head and the skull beneath it. For a moment, the bodies around him drew back, giving space. Swiftly Josh drew out his hand, gripping fur and bone. ! He thrust the grinning coyote head in Dough Boy's face and growled. It was a deep, menacing animal sound -- not human at all. . . .