One guard, whose name was Shane, sped after her, and she put on a burst of speed. But suddenly, Sarah felt a sweaty hand grab her arm and she was dragged to the jail.

"Gonna give us a clue?" Shane's harsh voice rang out.

Sarah stuck her tongue out impudently at him.

"Fat chance!"

"OK then!"

She watched him stalk away and position himself a few feet in front of her. Casting her eyes around, Sarah saw a smooth, round object half-hidden beside the fence. Looking away and trying to act normal, she saw her best friend Brittany dancing around on the wrong side of the border, in danger of being caught. Sarah grinned as Shane sped after her. It wasn't a joke after all; it was a planned move!

Sarah's suspicions were confirmed as she saw Helen take a wide sweep of the land and come up beside her. They fled to their side of the border, both free. Nobody even noticed them escaping; everybody was concentrating on Brittany. At the last possible second Brittany ran off, leaving Shane and the others to come after the escapers, but they were already on the other side of the boundaries.

Sarah ganged up with two others and went across to the fence in a pincer movement. They were speeding towards the treasure, with two guards in hot pursuit. Sarah seized the ball swiftly and, dodging yet another guard, sped homeward. As they crossed the border, their side erupted in cheers. The girls had won at flags!

It was a typical summer night for the kids at the court. Playing 'Flags' or 'Manhunt' was a usual nighttime game. Not to mention a usual fun nighttime game. Everyone gathered on the court, the boys scowling, the girls grinning and cheering.

"It's dark enough now, how about some Manhunt?" one of the boys asked. Not only did they hate losing, but they also loved 'every man for himself' games.

The older kids glanced at the dark sky.

"Why not?" Brittany said. "Just remember, if the parents don't see you, you don't go inside."

She was referring to the parents at Mr. Mark and Mrs. Sierras, chatting on the driveway, on the big purple pickup truck. If they saw one of their kids, they were sure to remember that it was about ten o'clock at night. This was usually the way it was on the court, with the kids playing and the parents blabbering on and on, on one of their driveways.

Sarah loved her neighbourhood. It was the only place she had ever lived for her entire life. There was a kid in almost every second house, on the court as well as on the drive around the corner. She could walk out of her house and be wanted by a bunch of kids to play a game. She had tons of friends, and so many favorite places to hang out, the park and the empty lot on the corner especially. But sometimes things don't last.

Sometimes things change.

The next day, eating dinner at Pizza Hut, Sarah's parents started talking about getting a new house. She wasn't really eavesdropping, but she couldn't help hearing them talk. (Has it ever occurred to you how many times parents talk very loud, right in front of you, and then say you shouldn't be eavesdropping on their conversation?) Shocked for a few seconds, Sarah could say nothing, but listened, paralyzed, to her parents going on and on about the lovely houses they had seen in different areas, and the horrible, squashed-together houses from other areas. They seemed to favour places near the river, or close to the house they lived in now. Finally Sarah found her voice, and loudly talked to her parents, quite unabashed at the dozens of people who were staring at her as she angrily rebelled against the situation.

"Why do we need a new house?" Sarah asked, appalled at the idea of leaving everything she had then.

"Sarah!" her mother hissed, conscious of the pairs of eyes now staring at their table. "We weren't talking to you. We probably aren't going to move, we're just discussing possibilities."

"But.."

"No buts. We'll tell you if anything happens that you need to know," her father stated.

Sarah sulkily slurped her iced tea and contented herself with glaring at Mom and Dad.

Sarah was unusually quiet during Manhunt that night. Shane approached Sarah from the corner, chuckling as he saw her.

"You it?" she asked cautiously.

"Yes!"

Sarah dashed off, veering towards her house and zigzagging madly. Chancing a glance behind her, she realized that Shane had been left far behind. Sarah paused and started her victory dance.

"The Gazelle!" she cried out gleefully.

Shane stopped dead in his tracks. "Huh?"

"A gazelle, a fast-moving, deer-like animal?" Sarah replied incredulously, surprised he didn't know.

"And 'The Gazelle' is about to be caught!" he yelled mockingly, resuming running.

"Ha!" Sarah waited until he was about a metre away, then dashed off again, running and spiralling around Shane until he dropped to the ground, breathless. She howled at the sky, then sauntered away with dignity.

Mom called from the house, reminding Sarah and her two brothers how late it was, and mentioning the disturbing fact that tomorrow was a school day. Sarah grew sober again as she glanced at the house. In the midst of all the activity, Sarah had forgotten all about the moving problem.