Keeping the Tarnished by Bradon Nave

wheelbarrow. From Jared’s description of the task at hand, he was under the impression that the stalls were completely overwhelmed with horse manure. That, however, was not the case. Johnny walked the length of the stable, examining each stall as he passed by.
    “Man, this isn’t gonna take us no six hours,” Johnny said to Jared as he leaned the shovels on the first red door.
    “You don’t think? Well, that’s good anyways; I still gotta school you at some Call of Duty,” Jared said, smiling as he rested the wheel barrel by the first door as well.
    “Call of Duty?” Johnny asked inquisitively.
    “Aw, dude. Johnny, tell me you game. Please, for the love of God, tell me you game.”
    Jared had a strange smirk on his face as his eyes looked sharply at Johnny.
    “You mean video games? Your dad told me you played them,” Johnny said as Jared reached for a shovel.
    “Dude, we gotta get this shit shoveled. I gotta get you up to speed,” Jared said in an enthusiastic tone as he opened the door. “My system is in the basement, you haven’t been down there yet. It has surround sound and the recliners down there are pimp!” Jared exclaimed from inside the first stall.
    “Well, we better get after it then.” Johnny happily grabbed the remaining shovel. “Dude, I saw a basketball hoop on the side of the barn, do you ever play?” Johnny asked as he walked into the second stall.
    “Oh, hell yea, I love me some hoops when it’s not two thousand degrees outside. What about you?” Jared sneezed as he unloaded the first shovel full of manure into the wheel barrel.
    “Yea, man. I play. I ain’t too good, but I try,” Johnny replied.
    “Don’t let Mom hear you say ain’t, it might cost you a quarter,” Jared said playfully.
    From up by the house a horn honked loudly, and the parade of dogs and their wild warning was heard.
    “I guess Pops is home,” Jared said as he peeked out of the stall.
    “What else do you do around here to stay busy?” Johnny asked as he shoveled manure from outside the stalls.
    Jared began laughing an exaggerated, dramatic laugh that was obviously sarcastic. “Dude, there is nothing to do out here. Pop’s hardly ever lets me go to town, and when I do I gotta be home by like, nine o’clock on the weekends.” Jared looked extremely and happily surprised as he emerged from the stall. “Damn, Johnny, you almost got that thing full! We’re gonna be done with this horse shit in like an hour!” the boy said approvingly.
    Johnny looked at Jared and found himself completely intrigued. “Your dad didn’t care if you came home at nine at night?” There was a hint of shock in Johnny’s voice.
    “Ha, that’s nothing. I used to be buds with this dickhead, Tyler, and his folks don’t even care when he comes home on the weekend. They just leave the door unlocked until he gets home.” Jared heaved another shovelful into the barrel. Johnny felt somewhat bewildered by the statement, and then began to shovel again.
    “Man, let’s go empty this deliciousness and fill the bitch up again,” Jared said, smirking, as both the boys started laughing.
    “Where do we empty it at?” Johnny asked, looking at the disgusting load of horse manure.
    Jared looked at him and then pointed off into the woods across the pasture. “We can take turns pushing it over there, past them trees,” Jared said, continuing to point, standing on his tiptoes, and looking off into the distance.
    “Wow, that’s really a long ways away,” Johnny replied as he looked off across the pasture.
    Jared started laughing again, “Dude, I’m messing with you. I would smell like total ass if we pushed this bad boy all the way over there,” Jared said, smiling quite proudly.
    “What do you mean you would smell like ass?” Johnny replied.
    “Ohhhhhh!” Jared yelled as both boys began laughing loudly.
    Johnny noticed Jackson up by the house, watching the two guys interact. “Boy!” the man finally yelled out