Page 122 of The Executioners Three
In seconds that felt like lifetimes, Theo and the other Fortin students pushed right through the audience to reach the stage. Meanwhile, Freddie could hear Mom and Mr. Binder and Divya all cheering from behind the curtain.
The audience was actually cheering too, as if they thought this was all part of the show. And Freddie supposed it could be. Didn’t pro wrestlers go storming through the crowd before a match? Maybe lumberjacks should do the same.
With only a slight limp to betray his pain—and a flush on his cheeks that wasn’t from the cold—Theo climbed the steps onto stage. He looked entirely too gorgeous in his costume, and Freddie found herself annoyed by this fact. She lookedridiculousin her gown. Meanwhile, he pulled off a French bûcheron as easily as he pulled off a Fortin Prep uniform or a pair of khakis and his Vans.
Even in the hospital, he’d looked good in a papery hospital gown. It wasdeeplyunfair.
“I know,” Theo said as he came to a stop before her. Teenage lumberjacks streamed by, aiming for the curtain. “I am so sorry.”
Freddie’s face scrunched up. “You’re sorry for looking hot?”
Now his face scrunched up too. “Um, no. For being late.”
Right. Duh.
“Although,” Theo continued with a sly smile, “I’m glad you think I’m hot.”
“Pshaw.” Freddie swatted the air. “Don’t let it go to your head, Mr. Porter. But whyareyou late?”
The stage rattled as more members of the cast rushed by. And Theo sighed. “My fellow students thought it would be funny to skip as a prank. So I opted to divulge my lineage as an Allard Fortin to them and then threaten them all with expulsion.”
“Can you do that?”
“Of course not.” Theo grinned. “But what good is a fancy name if I can’t use it?”
“Well, my mother and I thank you. Even if it does confirm my suspicions about you.”
His eyebrows lifted. “And what suspicions are those?”
Freddie slid her hand into his, so she could tow him toward their starting spots on the stage. “That you’re actually a Very Good Human Indeed. And in case you can’t tell, I am saying that phrase as a proper noun, so you know it’s serious.”
Theo laughed as they came to a stop over two taped Xs. “Then I should warn you, Gellar, that you might reconsider your opinion of me once you see how thoroughly I plan to kiss you.”
Freddie flushed. A delighted flush that made her stomach flip not once, not twice, butthrice. “Well, in that case, I guess we’re both Very Bad Humans Indeed, since I plan to do the same.”
Before Theo could respond to this, the stage light flashed on. The audience cheered, and finally—finally—the pageant began in earnest.
As did the accompanying contest, which Freddie was absolutely determined to win this year. Starting right now.
“LET US BEEGIN!” she cried, flinging her arms wide while the people of her town hooted and hollered and clapped like the wild bûcherons they were. “WELCUMMMM TO ZEE VILLAJJJ EE-STORRRR-EEECK! WE ’OPE YOU ENJOY ZEE SHOW!”
The Lumberjack Pageant, 1999
by Jim Binder
Act 1
Scene 1
Outside Berme logging settlement, 1677
TRAVELER NUMBER ONE and TRAVELER NUMBER TWO hurry onto stage, looking cold and weary.
TRAVELER NUMBER ONE
Thank goodness we have finally arrived, for ’tis cold here in autumn.
TRAVELER NUMBER TWO
