The Lollipop

After school, Sam walked into the candy shop on Cedar Ave. Picking out the big lollipop, he paid for it, stuffed it in his school bag, and walked home. Tom was waiting outside, ready to receive the Kit-Kat that Sam had bought for him. Sam walked out and handed him the candy bar. Eating, Tom walked down the street, ready to go home.

The next day, before school, Sam walked down the street and looked in his bag. No lollipop. He looked around, hoping it had just dropped on the ground, but nothing was there. But out of the corner of his eye, he saw a silhouette of a kid the size of an NFL linebacker. Sam frowned and thought one thing. Carver. The bully turned and glanced at him before taking off down another street. He ran forward and saw Carver slam the door behind him as he ran into his house. Sam walked up to the front of the house and looked up. The number was 237 Chestnut street. Sam stopped for a moment and tried to remember the address before running off. Later that day, boxes were piling up in front of Sam and Tom's door. Tom leaned over and read a label on one.

"Same day delivery, Thursday, February 11th". Tom walked around the house and tried to find Sam. "Saaamm!!" Tom called, "There are packages everywhere!!"

Sam raced down the stairs two steps at a time before stopping suddenly before the boxes.

"They're here!" Sam exclaimed. Picking up all the boxes, he ran back up the stairs. Sam was planning a way how to get his lollipop back. He opened up the boxes and it was all he needed. He had a grappling hook, two walkie talkies, and lastly, he had a big flashlight. Later, he told Tom about his plan and all the boxes. That day, Sam and Tom prepared everything. In the afternoon, they went to the library to find a map of the neighborhood. They found it in the top part by the library, hanging in a frame next to a table. They sat down and looked at it. Peering at the addresses, Sam marked down on his phone where Carver's house was. He then went into the app his Mom got for him, called Route. It gave him time and distance of any route he put into it. He checked it and showed Tom. It was a 20 minute bike ride to Carver's house. Tom and Sam decided that the next day they would plan the sort-of robbery. It's not really a robbery if you're stealing something back that already belonged to you. After the library, they stopped off at the town hall to find house blueprints. They asked the lady at the desk if she could get them the blueprints.

"It's for a school project" Sam lied.

"Yeah," Tom said, "it's for a geography of our town project"

She smiled and nodded her head before disappearing behind the counter. A few minutes later she came out and told the boys,

"We don't have 237 Chestnut Street, but 314 West Avenue is the same house design." She handed them the paper. Sam whipped out his phone and quickly took a picture of it.

"Thank you," Sam and Tom said as they speed-walked out. Later, they went back to the library and printed out the picture. Tom and Sam skimmed over it, took markers, and traced every possible way they could get in. It appeared the easiest way they could get in was through the top skylight. All the other windows were at the bottom of the house by the pricker bushes. The next day, both boys went out at 7:00 at night. They crept over to the backyard and took out the grappling hook. Swinging it 5 times, they looped it around the chimney and tugged. They grabbed the rope and walked up the house. Sam looked in the skylight, but it was too dark to see anything. Tom handed him the flashlight and they looked around the inside. It was an empty bedroom. Tom went down first. He dived down into the bed, and hopped off it, making room for Sam. Sam tried to get in as quietly as possible. He put his feet in and clamped his hands to the rim part. Slowly, he pushed himself down until he was standing on the bed. Silently, they crawled down the hallway and looked around. Downstairs, Carver's family was eating dinner. Tom went downstairs and hid near the den as Sam tried to find the lollipop.

"Hmm," muttered Sam, "Where would I hide a lollipop...". Sam walked into Carver's room and looked around, forgetting he was right about the dining room.

"Honey, what's all that clomping up there?" Carver's mom asked as she got up.

"I don't know," answered Carver's Dad as they both got up and walked to the stairs. Tom softly spoke into the transmitter, " Sam, they are going upstairs, HIDE!!" Sam's microphone crackled as he jumped into the toy box near the closet. "Hmm," Carver's dad said as he looked around the room. As Carver's dad walked out, Sam saw it. The giant lollipop was nestled near Carver's backpack in the closet. Sam quietly got out and snatched the lollipop. Suddenly, a rope grabbed his ankle and tugged him upside down. Carver stepped into the room and laughed.

"I see you've made it in" Carver smirked, "I hope you enjoy being a chew toy for Killer"

Hearing his name, the dog woke up and ran into Carver's room. Sam's mouth gaped open. How could he have NOT seen the dog? Carver understood what Sam was thinking.

"He was sleeping in the closet," Carver told him. Carver let his hand off the dog, and Killer leaped at Sam. Shredding the top part of his hoodie, Sam tried to push his head towards his feet. Suddenly, Tom appeared behind Carver. Knocking Carver to the ground with his own giant stuffed animal, Tom pushed the dog away. Untying Sam, Tom ran out of the room and went to the end of the hall. Tom and Sam wriggled out of the skylight and closed it. Slowly, they slid back over to the grappling hook. Back at home, Sam unwrapped his lollipop and put it in his mouth. He only had one thought. Victory.