Someone Else's Scooter

A scooter someone left stands by the bench, and Grisha from upstairs is three years older and calling Alice into his gang. "Let's run it into the puddle, it will be funny." Saying no means being left alone in the yard.

A scooter someone left stands by the courtyard bench: red, with a shiny bell. Its owner went home for lunch. Grisha from upstairs is three years older and calling Alice into his gang — it is loud and fun with him. "Look at that puddle. Let's run the scooter in, it will be funny." Alice stands and says nothing: it probably would be funny for everyone, but the scooter belongs to someone. Grisha wheels it toward the puddle and turns back: "Are you coming or not?" So Alice catches up and grabs the handlebar. Grisha pulls, Alice holds on, the scooter stands still between them. "No," Alice says loudly. "Why not, though?" — and Alice answers with one word: "Someone's." Grisha snorts, lets go and walks off to the swings, and the whole gang goes with him. Alice wheels the scooter back to the doorway and sets it on its stand.