Billy Denvor wouldn't have noticed the running boy if it wasn't for Delinko Jones, because Billy ordinarily didn't look at the window of the school bus. He would prefer to talk to his best friend Amy Salmon.

But today, Amy stayed home because she felt sick. Delinko usually didn't pick on Billy when Amy was on the bus. But on this day, a Friday (Billy would never forget). Delinko grabbed Billy's head from behind and pushed his thumbs into his temple as if he were squeezing a soccer ball. The older kids were supposed to stay in the back of the bus but, Delinko had snuck up from behind him and ambushed him. When Billy tried to wriggle free, Delinko pushed his face even harder on the glass window.

It was then, squinting through the smudged glass, that Billy spotted the strange boy. It appeared that he was running from someone. But, when Billy looked behind the boy, no one was there the boy was running exactly within the shadows of the trees. He was like a shadow. He was the shadow walker. He thought.

The boy had greasy blond hair, and he was as bony as a stick. It was like he never ate before. And he was wearing an almost fully torn black shirt and ripped basketball shorts.

Billy almost didn't realize the blood dripping from his head until the boy disappeared, and the blood almost turned the entire window red.

"Get off me you creep!" Billie screamed, face slowly turning a pale red. He could almost feel a vein popping out on his forehead. The boy clenched his fist and continued to keep his mouth shut.

"What are you going to do about it? Wimp!" Delinko said and pushing his head harder on the glass.

"Delinko, it's time to go get off him. "Said Delinko's girlfriend Samantha Baskin.

"Don't tell me what to do, now go sit down! "He yelled at her.

"NO NOW!" Samantha said and gave her the look she gives when she gets what she wants.

"OK! Let's go, he's a wimp anyway!" He said laughing and then walking to the back of the bus with Samantha. But then, Samantha turned around and said, "Your welcome wimp." Then walked to the back and sat down.

So many thoughts went through his head on the bus ride to school. After he got off the bus, he went straight to his class. And he thought about the boy. The shadow walker. He didn't look like anyone from his school, he looked homeless. He must help or do something. Ring. The bell rang, and it was time for the next class, and as soon as he walked out the door. His heart dropped. Standing right crossed the hall. It was... Delinko. He tried to put his hood up and walked with his head down. But then he felt a chill down his spine so, he walked faster. Then he stopped. He stopped because there was a hand on his shoulder. Out of nowhere, he screamed.

"Get off me Delinko! Don't you see what you did to me!" He yelled and pointed to his face. Then he was forced to turn around and, a woman started to talk.

"I'm not Delinko. I want to talk to you." She said.

The woman was Mrs.Breyer, the teacher he just had a class with. What could she want? Is he in trouble? He thought. They then entered her classroom.

"Sit down, please. She said waving Billy to sit down.

"Am I in Trouble?" Billy asked as he sat down.

"No, I just want to talk to you." She said as she grabbed a pen and a piece of paper.

"Talk to me about what?" Billy asked in a worried tone.

"What wrong Billy? You seem like something is bothering you today." She asked.

He wanted to tell her about the shadow boy and, what had happened on the bus with Delinko. But she had a notepad, and he was worried that she might tell someone and get the boy in Delinko or even worse the shadow boy in trouble. So, he lied to her.

"I'm fine, Mrs. Breyer." He said.

"Are you sure? You didn't seem to pay attention to my lesson today." She said.

"I don't feel too good today, Mrs.Breyer. Can you call my mother, so I can go home?" Billy told her and started rubbing his stomach. If she said yes, he could go over to Amy's house and talk to her about everything. He thought.

"What's your mother's number?" She said while picking up her classroom phone.

"515-696-1265." He told her. And she wrote the number on her paper and, then dialed it.

"Hello, Jane Denvor here." Billy's mother said when she picked up the phone.

"Hey, Mrs. Denvor! I have your son in my classroom a-" She said then Billy's mother cut her off.

"Oh my god! Is he in trouble? Is he hurt? Please tell me my baby is not hurt." Mrs. Denvor said in a worried tone.

"He's not hurt." Mrs.Breyer laughed. "He doesn't feel good., he says his stomach hurts. "She said

"Oh, thank god." She said sounding relieved. "I'm on my way," Mrs. Denvor said.

Mrs.Breyer told him to go to the front office until his mother gets to the school. On the walk to the office, he felt a chill down his back. He looked back, no one was there. He still had a bad feeling. But just then, someone grabbed him and slammed him on the lockers.

"Let me go you jerk!" He screamed. Delinko was pinning Billy against the lockers.

"What are you going to be about it, wimp?" Delinko said, now pushing his head harder on the lockers.

"THIS!" Billy said and then kicked Delinko hard in his privates.

"OUCH!" Delinko yelled and holding his privates, and now kneeling on the ground.

Billy ran, He ran so fast that his vision became blurry. But he ran faster and faster until he ran into something and fell on the floor. It took him a minute to realize that he got slapped by Rosie Harris.

"I'm so sorry Rosie." He said trying to pick up one of the books he knocked out of her hand.

"Whatever, just go away." She said rudely

"I said I'm sorry, the least I can do is help you pick up your books." He insisted.

"Go Away, Ok!" She said. But then Billy saw a picture, it looked like the shadow walker. He picked it up.

"Who is this Rosie?" He said showing her the picture. Then she tried to grab it but, he yanked it back and put it in his pocket.

"Give that back!" She yelled.

"Not until you tell me who, and where he is." Billy insisted

"Whatever, leave me alone." She said. Then grabbed her books and disappeared into the halls.

Billy walked to the front office and sat down in one of the chairs in the front. His mother came within minutes after he sat down. He then got in the car and drove away from the school.

"Are you feeling better?" His mother asked.

"I'm fine, must have just been the test stressing me out." He told her.

"Oh, I'm glad to hear that dear. Want something to eat?" She asked.

"Actually, can I go to Amy's house?" Billy insisted.

"Yes, I'm going to drop you off." She said.

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Ten minutes later,

"Bye, mom," He said to his mother and waved her goodbye. He then walked to Amy's front door.

"I'll pick you up at six o'clock." She yelled at him then drove off.

When Amy's mother let him in, he ran straight to Amy's room. When Billy got to Amy's room, she was facing her wall and was sleeping. He woke her up and started to tell her what had told her about what had happened. He told her about the strange boy, he told her about the cuts on his face, and how they got there, and he told her about Rosie. Then he pulled out the photo. She then gasped. She told him that she saw the same boy running into the little woods by the river. He then told her about the talk with Mrs.Breyer.

"So, what are you going to do about all this Billy?" She asked.

"I'm..... I'm going to find the boy one way or another. I mean it's really going to hurt me if I don't." Billy said.

You're a good person Billy, you really are. And you can go now, and it's going to get dark soon." Amy told him.

"Come with me. I can't go alone." Billy said in a nervous tone in his voice.

"Take this just in case something happens." She said grabbing her pocketknife and some pepper spray. "I wish I could, but I'm sick. Maybe tomorrow." Billy looked at the knife and then said, "I'll go now."

"Bye Billy see you later." She said then turned back over and went back to sleep.

"Bye Amy." He said quietly and shut her door and left.

Slowly walking down Amy's stairs he felt as if he was doing the wrong thing. He felt he was invading Rosie's and the shadow walker's privacy, for instance maybe the boy is homeless and lives in the little woods and, Rosie's is his friend. But Billy had so many questions for both. Before he could get to the bottom of the stairs Amy's mom stopped him.

"Where are you going? You supposed to be here until six o'clock mister." She said.

"Mrs. Salmon, my mom wanted me to come home early for dinner, I'll be right back." He said as he was trying to convince her.

"Ok, when you come back. Don't knock on the door, just walk in. We all are taking a nap." he said then walked up the stairs.

"Ok, bye. Oh, and don't call my mom she's kind of mad." Billy said.

Ok, See you later." She said then gave him a wave goodbye.

"Bye." He said then walked out her front door.

Billy knew exactly where the little woods was. But Billy was still having second thoughts. He didn't even have a ride over there. Then he realized that he left his blue bike in Amy's garage. He walked to the garage a d tried to yank it open. But it was locked by a keypad. He tried to type in a password. But he was wrong. Then he pulled out his phone and called Amy. Ring. Ring. R-.

"Hello, Amy Salmon here." She said when she answered her phone.

"Amy, It's Billy. What's your keypad password?" He said.

"Huh? Where are you, Billy?" She said in a confused tone.

"Look outside your window." He said.

"What, I thought you left a long time ago." She said while looking out the window.

"No. I'm still leaving. But, I need my bike. What is your keypad password? "He said then pointed to the garage.

"The password is my birthday 03-17-04." She said leaving the window. "Bye, call me when you get back." She said. She then hanged up. Beep.

He then put it back in his pocket and walked back to the garage and typed in the password. 03-17-04. When the garage opened a loud rrrrrink noise when it went up. So, he ran into the garage and grabbed his bike, and then closed the door and locked it. He then rode off and didn't look back.