Running the Risk
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Overview
After being the victim of an armed robbery, Sean should be terrified but he isn't. He finds he likes the rush that comes from danger and tries to recreate the feeling. But when his risktaking leads him to some of the worst parts of town and he finds himself face-to-face with the original armed robbers he finds he must do the right thing.Synopsis
The door opened and two guys with ski masks on walked in. One walked straight to me. The other went straight to Lacey at her register. As they approached, I saw the guns come up. Lacey, Cam and I froze. The room suddenly went dead quiet except for the sound of hamburgers sizzling in the back and the buzz of the overhead fluorescent lights. I'd never even noticed the hum of the fluorescent lights before. After being the victim of an armed robbery, Sean should be terrified but he isn't. He finds he likes the rush that comes from danger and tries to recreate the feeling. But when his risktaking leads him to some of the worst parts of town and he finds himself face-to-face with the original armed robbers, he finds he must do the right thing. Lesley Choyce is a prolific author, a publisher and a life-long surfer. He lives in Nova Scotia.
Children's Literature
Sean stared death in the eye. While working the late shift at Burger Heaven, Sean and the other cashiers were robbed at gunpoint for all of the restaurant's money. Sounds terrifying, right? Well, while looking down the barrel of a gun, Sean reacted calmly, but inside he felt exhilarated. He felt the adrenaline rush of risk. It was something that, after the fact, he could not imagine living without. After-school games of Xbox by himself were no longer appealing. He began to seek out circumstances where he could find this feeling again—hanging out with Jeanette, the sexy and anxious girl from school who was also working the night of the robbery, and befriending a confused homeless lady from the streets. Sean's newfound untamed conscience, guided by the life and wisdom of his dead grandfather, comes full-circle when he realizes who held him up. Now Sean has to decide what to do with this information—does he turn the guy in and risk putting himself in danger, or does he say nothing, potentially leaving others to be hurt? Many young readers could relate to the protagonist—an average teenage boy who suddenly discovers that life does not have to be boring. Lesley Choyce uses the creative format of a short story to tell this tale of risk, love, and awakening. Reviewer: Jillian Hurst