The moment I picked up one of the last boxes in the shed, a mouse scurried out from behind it, shooting across the dirty floor in a flash.
"Ah! Get it get it get it! Tucker, get it!"
The next thing I knew, my body was being jerked around back and forth like I was some worn out ragdoll. Charlotte's grip tightened more and more around my sleeve, like she was a monkey trying to climb all over me.
"Stop it ya weenie! You's gonna make me drop this thing! It's just a dang ole mouse!" I yelled, unable to get her off of me.
"I don't care I don't care I don't care! Where did it go?! Tucker, seriously! I hate mice!" Charlotte screamed at the top of her lungs like the mouse was actively attacking her.
She was frantically bouncing back and forth on her tip toes, every hair on her head sticking up like she was a cat being cornered by a bulldog.
"I can't see it! Where did it go?!" She kept screaming, her mouth being way too close to my ear. Each squeal of hers was like a gunshot going off next to my eardrum.
Whatever items were inside the box suddenly had to deal with a fury equal to that of a raging tornado. My arms were being yanked all around by the terrified girl, sending my whole body into a crazy and unconventional dance across the tiny shed.
"Stop it! You's gonna cause me to-"
Crash!
The old box slid across the old wood floor, dragging a trail of dust along its path before slamming hard into the shed wall.
She finally let me go, the crashing sound finally snapping her back to reality.
"Ya see! I done told you's that'd happen!" I yelled, quickly stumbling over to the box.
Charlotte stood stone still, completely forgetting that she was in a full scale panic mere seconds ago.
Dag nabbit!
I threw the top of the box open, hoping and praying with every breath that there was nothing of value inside of it.
A cloud of dust poofed in front of my face as the cardboard flaps fell loose.
Cough cough!
"Please please please don't be glass. Please please please-"
My whole body fell limp as the long held breath I had been holding escaped my lungs at long last.
"Tools..."
I chuckled, falling back and onto my behind next to the box.
"Just tools..." I mumbled, resting my palms against the floor. The last thing I needed was for her brother to come storming into the shed, only to see a family heirloom or something shattered into a million pieces.
Charlotte sighed behind me, her slow and deliberate footsteps quietly approaching from behind me like a guilty puppy.
"I-I'm so sorry, Tucker. I swear I didn't mean-"
"It ain't nothin... Suppose I should be the one apologizin for gettin mad like that."
I rubbed the back of my neck, the dust from my palm coating my skin.
"I shouldn't have yelled at ya's. I know them little things can be kinda scary."
Her hair fluttered around her as she frantically shook her head back and forth, her eyes closed tighter than a bear trap.
"N-No! It's my fault you got roped into all of this in the first place! If I had just g-gone home..."
"Pah!" I said, slapping my jeans to clear them of any dust.
I slowly stood up, the dusty floor creaking with every slight movment I made.
"Enough with that. You ain't tell me what to do. You ain't tell me to speak up and take blame. That was my choice, so I'm just dealin with it now."
Her hand gently slapped my back over and over again.
"L-Let me get the dust off of you at least."
I jumped away from her, my cheeks heating up as I shot my finger towards her to emphasize my frustration.
"I said enough! Don't ya go gettin puffy eyes and shakin lips! I ain't like no cryin girls!" My words came out harsher than I meant them to.
The sun was casting low behind her, streaming through the open shed door and all around her.
Her outline was glowing...
Her face was downcast, her golden hair dancing around her shadowy form made by the setting sun.
"B-But... Tucker, I caused you to..."
I grit my teeth, slamming my foot into the wood in one sure motion.
Why am I so stinkin angry bout her bein all sad like this?
"Just let me finish this, and go home... Stop kickin you's self! It's all just annoyin me!"
I waved my hand, brushing her off.
I wasn't just angry... I was furious with myself more than anything else. Mind numbing outraged that she was shrinking before my very eyes...
And I could do nothing to help her....
If anything, I only caused her more pain... more worry... more sadness watching me get something she saw as her "punishment". I must have looked like a martyr in her eyes.
I just wanted her to stop worrying about me. I mean, I was the one who volunteered to do all that cleaning in the first place.
But, all of those complex emotions and reasonings were completely lost on a little twelve year old boy.
I only processed all of those feelings as a need for her to stop pittying me.
"Go!" I shouted.
Her arms dropped to her side, heavy and defeated.
Without another word, she left...
In the silence of that dark shed, my work suddenly felt far more hollow.