Please let no one be around. This would be humiliating.
Knowing time is ticking, I shimmy some more until I’m right up against the porch. I release the bush, thank it for its service, and then fliparound so my back is against the porch. My arms are spread for balance, my eyes scanning the dark cul-de-sac.
Not a movement.
Not a sound.
Which means it’s time to make my move.
Unraveling the scarf just enough so I can see better, I let it dangle in front of me as I glance over to Cole’s front door. I still my breath, listening intently for any sort of movement, but when I don’t hear anything, not even a creak, I eye the strand of lights in front of me and laser in on one single light bulb.
I inwardly cackle becausewhat a plan.
What a way to take a nemesis down.
He’ll have no idea.
Smirking against the wintry night air, I take the single bulb in hand and I…ugh, hold on a second…and I…grrr.
Damn it.
My fingers are not working.
They’re…they’re too frozen.
Panic ripples inside of me. Of course, this freaking snow! Ruining everything. Needing a quick solution, I bite one of the fingers of my glove, tear it off my hand, and then stick my frozen fingers right between my legs, where I clench down hard.
“Warm up, warm up,” I mutter as I wiggle in place, looking like I’m having fun next to the handsy bush.
I glance down the road to see if Peach and Paula are coming…and then to my horror, I see a crowd gathering toward the end of Krampus Court.
No!
They’re coming.
Crap.
Come on, come on. Warm up!
I wiggle some more, then bring my hand to my mouth and huff on it, trying anything and everything to get my fingers to work again.
After a few seconds, I make my second attempt to pull the bulb.
My fingers slip.
They slide.
They scream from the freezing weather.
“Come on, you dicks,” I yell at my fingers. Then, with one last tug, my grip on the bulb is enough, and I pull it from its socket…causing the whole strand to go out.
Huzzah!
Uhh…hold on.
Why did only one strand of lights go out? Wasn’t this supposed to make all of the lights go out? Is that not a thing anymore?
Damn it!
