Most kids in Porterville thought that walking to school was boring.

Ethan knew better than this.

Every morning on Maple Street, something was always going on. People's dogs chasing you, stereos blaring bad music, you name it. Things were always happening and the neighborhood was never quiet.

Until one school day, at exactly 07:42

Ethan sluggishly stepped out of his front door, his backpack lazily slung over one shoulder, with a half-eaten piece of toast in his mouth.

His mom called from inside the house. “Don’t forget your math homework!”

“I won’t!” Ethan shouted back.

He had already forgotten it. But that wasn’t his biggest problem.

Halfway down the sidewalk, Ethan stopped.

Something just felt… off.

The street looked normal. A little too normal. Only one or two cars drove by. There weren't any kids out playing. The neighborhood dogs seemed to be silenced by an eerie presence. And, perhaps the strangest part, Mrs. Donnelly, who filled the grandma role in the neighborhood, wasn't even outside watering her plants as she usually did at the time.

And even though the neighborhood was finally quiet for once, Ethan knew that it meant nothing good.

Maybe it was the weather. It had rained earlier that morning, and the deep scent of petrichor filled the world with unexpected sunshine during the winter season.

As he reached the bus stop, Ethan decided to spend his alone time to reconnect with nature and take a look outside.

Suddenly, something off to his left catched his eye and-

Ethan noticed the trash can lid across the street quietly shut. Then he heard the bushes to his right rustle. And then, he sees a shadowy figure moving across the roof of the bus stop.

Ethan sighed. “Seriously?” he muttered.

A voice whispered from somewhere above him. “Target located.”

Ethan didn’t even look up. “You guys know I’m just going to school, right?”

Three figures dropped from the roof of the bus stop at the exact same time.

THUD. THUD. THUD.

Ninjas. Real ninjas.

Black outfits. Masks. Everything.

Mrs. Donnelly was finally seen watering her flowers like nothing strange was happening.

The tallest ninja pointed to Ethan dramatically. “Hand over the object.”

Ethan audibly blinked back at them. “What object?”

“The object you carry.”

Ethan slowly opened his backpack.

Inside was his homework, a couple of pencils, his lunch, and his phone.

The ninja leaned closer. “…Not that object.”

Ethan frowned. Why wouldn't they want to take his lunch?

“I literally have no idea what you’re talking about."

The smallest ninja in the group whispered to a much taller one. “I told you we should have checked the house first.”

The tall ninja ignored him. Instead, he stepped forward and said in a very serious voice, “You possess something important. Something powerful.”

Ethan thought for a couple seconds. "Ah... I think I know exactly what you're talking about."

Then he slowly reached into his right pocket.

The ninjas tensed themselves.

Ethan pulled out…

A rubber chicken keychain.

He shook it violently.

SQUEAK.

The ninjas stared at it.

The smallest ninja whispered again. “…Master didn’t say anything about a chicken.”

Ethan shrugged and started walking again. “Well, good luck with that. I’ve got spelling at 0 8:10.”

Behind him, the ninjas panicked. “Wait, you can't leave!" they exclaimed to him.

Ethan kept walking. “If I’m late again, Mrs. Carter will make me sit in front of the entire class for the whole day.”

The tall ninja looked at the other two. “Time for Plan B, I assume.”

Suddenly five more ninjas dropped from the trees.

Ethan stopped. He sighed again. “Okay. This might make me a little late.”

He slung his backpack down.

Cracked his knuckles.

And said, “Let’s get this over with before the bus finally shows up.”

Across the street, Mrs. Donnelly finally looked up from watering her flowers.

“What a surprise,” she said calmly from the other end of the street. “The Tuesday ninjas are at it again.”

None of the ninjas seemed to notice the strange symbol glowing faintly on Ethan’s backpack.

And Ethan definitely didn’t notice their master standing on the school roof three blocks away, watching everything.