I remember it like it was yesterday. I came home from school and my big brother, Wade, was building something on the front lawn. When I asked him what it was, he said:

“It’s a trebuchet. We’ve been learning about them in history class.”

I couldn’t wait to get into Grade Six. “What does it do?” I asked, awestruck.

“It throws stuff. I’ll let you know when it’s ready to go.”

“Okay,” I said, and I went in to get myself a snack. Mom wasn’t home – if she had been the whole thing probably could have been avoided.

When I went outside half an hour later, Wade was on the roof, dropping rocks into a bucket that was hanging on the same level as the gutter. That thing was HUGE, I tell you.

“Are you almost done?” I asked.

“Three more rocks and she’s ready to roll.”

I waited until he was back on the ground, and I asked him: “What are you going to throw with it?”

“I forgot to give Petey back his tennis ball. I’m gonna pitch it to his house.”

“But he lives a whole mile away!”

“Yep!” Wade gave me a real shit-kickin’ smile then, and I knew things weren’t going to go so good.

“Stand back and watch,” he said.

And I did. I stood way back. When he let that thing go it was a good thing no one was inside too. He damned near cut the house in two. But Petey got his ball all right. Went right through his bedroom window.

Tuesday Use It In A Sentence is brought to you by the lovely Kelli this week. Pop over and join in! https://fortyandfantastique.wordpress.com/2016/03/14/tuesdayuseitinasentence-trebuchet/