4 Chapter 4

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Ellis’s parents dragged him along to a neighborhood Christmas party, not listening to him when he said he should be allowed to stay home by himself now that he was nine.

“Yeah, right.” His dad snorted, and that was that.

He trudged after them, dragging his feet, until his dad turned around and gave him a glare that said “Hurry up, or there’ll be no TV for you, boy.” And though Ellis wasn’t in the mood for a block party, he liked that look even less, so he sped up.

The party was as boring as expected. He mostly kept to himself until he realized some of the other kids were picking on little Casey. As usual.