Halt! Who goes there?

Halt! Who goes there?


"Tony?"

"Hmphh..."

"Tony!" Tommy urgently whispered again.  "Wake up.  I heard a noise."

"Maybe it's Dad, checking to see if we're still in bed, like he told us."

"I don't think so.  You can always feel the floor shake a little when he walks around, but this was just a creak."

"Well, were you out of bed?" asked Tony.

"Yeah, but I was really quiet," answered the other twin.

At that moment, both boys heard a faint noise just outside their door.

"I told you, Tony!  Someone's trying to get in!"  Fear filled the boy's whisper.

"Shhh!  Okay, let's sneak over to the door, real quiet, Tommy!  Get your bat.  I'll yank the door open on the count of three, and you clobber whoever's on the other side."

The boys took up positions on opposite sides of the door.  Tony silently turned the doorknob, then mouthed to Tommy, "One... two... three!"

Sometime later...

"Why do you suppose Dad was bent over like that, Tony?"

"Probably had his ear to the door, trying to hear us goofing around."

"Sure was a lot of blood, huh?"

"Yeah, but Mom says it's because all the vessels and stuff on your head are right next to the skin.  Did you understand all the words Dad was yelling?"

"Just a couple, but I'm not gonna ask about any of 'em.  You?"

"Me neither.  How long did Mom say we're grounded?"

"I'm not sure.  Something like one week per stitch.  Well, good night, Tony."

"Good night, Tommy."



[251 words]