Chapter 13

“Yes and no. Target practice is okay. But I take it seriously. This is a weapon. I don’t want to have to hurt anyone. It’s pretty awful, what a bullet will do to someone. I don’t want to have to live with that.”

“Could you, actually, shoot someone?”

“I don’t think anyone can answer that until they’re faced with the choice,” Brandon said. “I’d like to think that I can do what’s necessary, but only as much as is absolutely necessary and no more.”

* * * *

“I’m going to explain the rules,” Brandon’s aunt Ginny said, holding a megaphone up to her mouth, “and then I’m going to pass out a piece of paper so that you cannot read the stuff you’re not listening to right now.”

Scott grinned, leaning against the side of one of the rows of units. It was easy to see where Brandon got his sense of humor, watching Ginny go through the auction’s rules.